Wrench



Patented May 1, 1923.

UNITE j EMIL STAEHELIN, or cnrcaeo, ILLINOIS.

WRENCH.

Application led April 6, 1920. Serial No. 371,685.

To all wiz-0m it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EMIL STAEHELIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in xWrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wrenches, and has for an object the production of a wrench which may be opened by merely pulling against a fixed object by one of the jaws, and which can be closed by pushing with either jaw. A further object is to provide a wrench which is automatically opened when no-t in use, so that it can conveniently be applied to a nut; so that, by picking up the wrench with one hand, it may be applied to the nut and closed to fit the nut, by pushing against the nut, and then may be operated as much as may be desired. When t-he nut has been turned as far as is convenient, by merely relieving the wrench of its pressure against the nut, it will be opened, and it then can be rotated backwardly for a new grip on the nut, and then closed as before; this process being repeated somewhat the same as is the practice with ordinary forms of pipe wrenches. A further object of the `in vention is to provide locking means, so that, when desired, the wrench jaws may be locked snugly against the nut so that the nut may be turned without 'any possibility of the jaws of the wrench being forced apart; and the jaws may be locked in any position de` sired with reference tothe mit, so that the wrench maybe easily removed and turned to a new position, as is the case rwith any ordinary type of wrench 'which is adapted to fit the particular nut. Other objects vof the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following description thereof. y

Of the accompanying drawings Fig. Y1`is a side view of a wrench which embodies the features of my invention; Figi 2 is a similar view of the wrench rotated 9()o from Fig. 1; and Fig. 3is a section along the' line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The wrench which I have provided, consists of a casing 5,`which formsthe handle. In this ycasing is s'lidably mounted a shank 6, upon the outer'end vo-fwhich-is fixed the head jaw 7 of the Wrench, and `another shank 8l is slidably mounted in the casing adjacent/the shank 6 ;`v and to this shank 8 is sed the other jana-.9., '1A toothed rack 1.0v is the casingv 5 is held stationary and the jaw 7 is pressed inwardly the pinions 13 and 14V will be rotated byk the rack 1 0, and the pinion 14' which meshes with the rack 11, will force the rack, and hence the jaw 9, inwardly; so that both jaws will be forced inwardly with reference to the'casing 5. But,

as the pinion 18 is larger than the pinion 14, the jaw 7 will move inwardly pro-portionately faster than the jaw 9, andthe twoy jaws will close, as they move inwardly. The ratio of the diameters of the pinions may be made any suitable amount. I prefer for the purpose toI have this ratio two to one. It will also be seen that, by holding the casing 5 and pressing either ofthe jaws inwardly, the two jaws may be closedv towards each other as may be desired; or, conversely, by pulling outwardly on either of the jaws, the two jaws may be forced apart as much as may be desired. Hence, if it is desired tooperate the wrench with one hand, or for other reasons, by pressing either of thejaws thev jaws may be forced together any desired amount. Or if the jaws .were not opened sufficiently, by pulling onva ,fixed object by either jaw the two jaws will be force-d apart.

A' lug 28- provides means for pulling on the outer jaw whenthe jaws are closed.r

However, in order lto more conveniently use the wrench with one hand, or otherwise, I 'have pro-vided means for automatically opening the jaws whenever the wrench-is not in use. IIhese meansfcomprise a spring 15 placed between the end of the casing 5 and the shank'S, so that the spring atall-times tends to force the shank out of the casing.

Hence, when the wrench is released from` the nut, or the action of the spring'is not in some other mannerv prevented, the spring willEv force theshank 8 outwardly," and thus.

open the jaws to the `maximum amount. A.

stop-16 limitsthe amount that the jaws can be open'ed'by the stop coming in contact with the end`17 ofthe shank 6. IIence,byv

the u'se'of'the spring, to operate the wrench it is necessary on'lyto take hold yof the han'v aws to be forced apart.

the nut and press until the two jaws are brought snugly against the nut.

IVhen used in the manner hereinabove set forth, there is more or less tendency of the The action of the nut is to tend to separate the jaws; and, while the pushing against the inner jaw tends to hold the jaws together, yet the pushing against the head jaw tends to open the jaws; and the latter is somewhat more effective because the pinion with which the head jaw is associated is larger than the other pinion, and hence the effect of the pressure on the jaw is greater than the effect of the pressure on the other jaw.

IVhile this tendency of the jaws to open when the wrench is in use is frequently immaterial, yet I have provided means for locking the two jaws together when they have been set properly for the particular use. These means comprise a `Ushaped member 18 which straddles the casing 5, the pin 12 passing through slots 19 in the member 18. AFixed to the member 18 is a pin A 2O having beveled corrugated surfaces 21 on its inner end, these edges being adjacent the beveled corrugated edges 22 of the shanks. hen the jaws have been set in the right position, if the pin 2O is forced against the beveled edges 22 of the shanks the pin will bindv the shanks in place, so that relative movement thereoi will be prevented. In order to press the pin 20 against the Shanks with sufficient torce lI provide a second member 23 which also straddles the casing 5, as well as the arms of the member 18, and the pin 12 passes through openings 24 in the member 23. Fixed to the member 23 is an operating handle 25. and fixed to the member 23 are pins 26 which pass through slots 27 in the member 18, so that when the member 23 is rotated on the pin 12, the pins 26 will be forced inwardly or outwardly carrrying with ythem the member 18; and if the pins 26 are Jforced outwardlyV `they will force the pin 20. by means ot the member 18, against the beveled portion ot the Shanks, thus binding the Shanks in their set position. By means of the handle 25 the operator may conveniently press the pins 26 outwardly. and hold them in such position by the same hand that is used in operating the wrench. A spring 28 is adapted to force the handle 25 away from the casing, so as to release the shanks from the pressure of the pin 20. and allow the jaws to be freely opened or closed; so that if the wrench is released by the hand, and otherwise is 4free to operate automatically, the hand'le'25'willbe torced outwarlv. releasing'` the sh an-ks, and the spring 15 will force the l, jaws apart. A link 29 is provided for lock+ ingy the handle '25 in its inward position, whenever it is desired to do so., :so thatthe .73511611925 OGS ilt'ieed to beheld *inwardly by the hand; and it is to be understood that the jaws, by these locking means may be locked in any position, so that the jaws mav be tightly held against the nut, or may be loosely fitted to the nut so thel wrench can be removed and turned to a new position with reference to the nut as is the case with any ordinary wrench.

Although I have described with some pai ticularity various details of the construction of my preferred form ot wrench, yet it is to be uderstood that modifications therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing trom the spirit of my invention as disclosed by the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wrench comprising a handle, two pinions mounted for rotation in said handle, said pinions being non-rotatable relativelyto each other, two shanks slidably mounted in said handle, each ot said Shanks having a gear vrack thereon` and each ot said shanks projectingout of saidV handle. said racks meshing with the respective pinions, each of said shanks'having a wrench j aw fiXed'to its outer end, one of said pinions being smaller than the other.

2. A wrench comprising a handle. two Shanks slidably mounted in said handle. each of Saidshanks having one end projecting trom said handle, and having a gear rack formed on its other end, a jaw mounted on the outer end ot each oi said Shanks, two pinions non-rotatable relatively to each other, rotatablv mounted in said handle and meshing with the respective racks, said pinions being of unlike dimensions.

8. A wrench comprising a casing, two shanks slidably mounted in said casing each with one end projecting Jfrom the casing. a jaw fixed to the outer end and a rackfiir'ed to the inner end of each ot said Shanks. a pair of relatively fixed pinions of unlike diameters rotatably mounted on said casing' and meshing with the respective racks. and resilient means tending to 'torce one ot said Shanks outwardly.

4. A wrench comprising a casing, two

shanks slidably mounted in said casing each with one end proiectinqfrom the casing. a jaw fixed to the outer end and a rack fixed to the inner end oi cach ot said shanks. a pair of relatively fixed pinions ot unlike diameters rotatably mounted on said casing and meshing with therespective racks. and means for preventing relative movement ot said Shanks.

A wrench comprising a casing. two shanksslidably mounted in said casing'each with one end projecting from the casing, a jaw fixed to the vouter end and a rack xed tothe inner Vend of 'each 'of 'said shanksg a.

pair of relatively xed pinions of unlike 'die and meshing with the respective racks, and means for preventing i'elative movement of said shanks, said means comprising an arm pivoted to said casing and arranged to prevent said relative movement when said arm is forced towards said casing.

6. A wrench comprising a casing, two Shanks slidably mounted in said casing each with one end projecting from the casing, a jaw fixed to the outer end and a rack fixed to the inner end of each of said Shanks, a pair of relatively fixed pinions of unlike diameters rotatably mounted in said casing and meshing with the respective racks, means for preventing relative movement of said shanks, said mean comprisingan arm pivoted to said casing and arranged to pre-. vent said relative movement when said arm is forced towards said casing, and resilient means for forcing said arm away from said casing.

7. A. wrench comprising a casing, two shanks slidably mounted in said casing each with one end projecting from the casing, a jaw fixed to the outer `end and a rack fixed to the inner end of eachy of said shanks, a pair of relatively fixed pinions of unlike diameters rotatably mounted in said casing and meshing with the respective racks, means for preventing relative movement of said shanks, said means comprising an arm pivoted to said casing and arranged to prevent said relative movement when said arm is forced towards said casing, resilient means for forcing said arm away from said casing, and means for locking said arm down adjacent said casing.

8. A wrench comprising a handle, two Shanks slidably mounted in said handle each with one end projecting from the handle, a jaw fixed to the outer end and a rack fixed to the inner end of each of said slianks, a

pair of relatively fixed pinions of unlike diameters rotatably mounted in said handle and meshing with the respective racks, and means for preventing one of said racks from moving relative to said handle.

v9. A wrench comprising a casing, two shanks slidably mounted in said casing each with one end projecting from the casing, a jaw fixed to the outer end and a rack fixed to the inner end of each of said Shanks, a pinion rotatably mounted in said casing and operatively connected with the respective racks, and means for preventing longitudinal movement or' said Shanks.

10. A wrench comprising a handle, two pinions mounted for rotation in said handle, said pinions being non-rotatable relatively to each ;other, a rst and a second shank slidably mounted in said handle, each of said Shanks projecting out vof said handle and having a wrenchj aw fixed to its outer end, said first shank having a rack on its inner end, said rack meshing with one of said .pnions, and means Voperatively connecting the inner end of said second shank with said other pinion. j

1l. Av wrench comprising an elongated casing, mounted in said casing, one end of each of said shanks projecting from said casing, a jaw fixed to each of said projecting ends, a rack fixed to the inner end of said first shank, a pinion rotatably mounted in said casing and meshing with said rack, said pinion being operatively connected with said second shank, and means for preventing relative movement ofsaid Shanks, the axes of said shanks being parallel with the axis of said casing. h Inl testimony whereof, I hereunto set my EMIL s'rAnHELiN.

a first and a second shank -slidably 

